The Veteran's service-connected unspecified depressive disorder with alcohol use disorder and other substance use disorder, bilateral hearing loss, and tinnitus are all granted effective from the date of receipt of the claim. The Veteran is rated at 100% for his psychiatric condition.
The deciding factor: The Veteran’s psychiatric condition manifested as total occupational and social impairment, warranting a maximum rating under Diagnostic Code 9435.
- Claimed conditions
- unspecified depressive disorder with alcohol used disorder and other substance abuse disorder, bilateral hearing loss, tinnitus
- How they argued it
- Not specified
- Exposure basis
- None
- Rating assigned
- 100%
- Decision date
- December 11, 2020
- Citation
- A20018421
This is a plain-language summary generated by AI from a public Board of Veterans’ Appeals decision. It can contain errors — always verify against the original. Look up the original decision on VA.gov (opens in a new tab) using citation A20018421.
What this means for you
A grant means the Board agreed the veteran was entitled to the benefit. Decisions like this show the kind of evidence and arguments that tend to succeed for claims like it.
What you can do next
Related decisions
Other Board decisions on a similar condition or argued the same way.
- Dismissed
The Veteran's appeal for service connection of bilateral hearing loss and a ruptured right ear drum was dismissed due to the death of the Veteran.
- Denied
The Board found that the Veteran's bilateral hearing loss was noted upon entry into active duty service and did not increase in severity during service. Therefore, it denied his claim for service connection.
- Remanded (sent back)
The Board has remanded the claims for service connection for hearing loss, tinnitus, and an acquired psychiatric disorder due to incomplete medical records and need for further examination.
- Denied
The Board denied the Veteran's claims for service connection for tinnitus, arthritis, and memory loss. The decision found no evidence linking these conditions to his military service.
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